WR450 kick starter/ case failure

[PeteN]

I'm from the red side, but thought you guys would be interested in this. I was ready to go riding with some friends last Sat. and one had a new WR450. He said it didn't always start on the button and it didn't as I watched. He then pulled out the kick start lever and kicked. Just then, I saw a piece of engine case fly off the bike and land in the dirt!?! At first, I thought it couldn't have come off his bike, but then we looked right in front of the shock on the left side and where the kick start shaft ended, there was a hole about 2" in diameter! It broke right through the back bearing for the shaft.

Has anybody heard of this before? I couldn't find anything in the archives. I can't believe this happened, I have a lot of friends with WRs and YZFs and even owned a couple 490s, and they have all been very reliable. I looked at the piece of aluminum very carefully and didn't see any defects that could have caused this. I hope this was some kind of unique problem, they are nice bikes. I almost thought I made a mistake with the CRF, almost. ?

[KiwiThumper]

Shudder .... ? :D :D

[r1superstar]

Yikes!! What a bummer............ ?

[HighPlainsWR]

Darn woodruff keys ! They couldn't just break, now they have to break out ! Seriously though, let us know what the cause was when your friend brings it in for repair. Curious.

[blue_beast_wins]

Gees thats too bad, first i've heard of it.

[beezer]

I heard that someone in Iowa used the e-start and the kick start at the same time and the ensuing explosion killed him to death!

[ckulzer]

Beezer,

That's funny. Well done!

[SPUTTER]

Beezer! You are right on! Same thing happened here in Cal - only here they're talking about a class-action suit to compensate surviving family members of WR-based death and dismemberments. Looks like they have plenty to go on!

[BEAN329]

Thats nothing, here in Maryland I have Greenpeace after me because they heard I broke a woodruff key and they think I broke a tree. , , yuk yuk yuk, I'm a victim of circumstance.

[Indy_WR450]

You are killing me Breezer! HaHa HaHa HaHa ............. ?

[Indy_WR450]

Sorry Beezer I was laughing to hard.